Russia Considers New Gas Export Route to China Through Kazakhstan

Photo: South China Morning Post

Russia is exploring a new gas export route to China that could deliver up to 35 billion cubic meters of gas annually through Kazakhstan, according to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.

Speaking at the International Forum “Rostki: Russia and China - Mutually Beneficial Cooperation,” Novak discussed the expanding energy ties between the two nations, emphasizing that energy now represents roughly one-third of their total trade turnover, The Caspian Post reports, citing Russian media. 

“We are potentially considering now with our Chinese friends a new route — through Kazakhstan, which could be about up to 35 billion cubic meters of gas,” Novak said.

He also highlighted the significance of energy exports, noting that in the previous year, oil supplies to China reached 107 million tons, covering 20% of China’s oil demand.

He also highlighted Russia’s ongoing efforts to boost gas supplies to China. "We have already supplied about 40 billion cubic meters of gas to the PRC in 2024," Novak added. He also pointed to major infrastructure projects, such as the Power of Siberia pipeline, which is on track to reach its maximum capacity of 38 billion cubic meters of gas per year by next year.

"The flagship project is Power of Siberia, which is being implemented, and its maximum capacity, which we will reach next year, will be 38 billion cubic meters of gas," Novak confirmed. He went on to explain that Russia and China had also signed an agreement to build a new gas pipeline — the Far Eastern Route — extending the Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok network with a total capacity of 10 billion cubic meters. The project is expected to be completed by 2027.

Gazprom started supplying gas to China via Power of Siberia in 2019, initially drawing from the Chayandinskoye field in Yakutia, and expanded the system in 2022 to include gas from the Kovykta field in the Irkutsk region. The contractual supply for 2024 is set at 30 billion cubic meters. However, Novak indicated that the pipeline would reach its full export capacity of 38 billion cubic meters by December 2024, ahead of schedule.

Earlier, on August 28, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller confirmed that the Far Eastern Route would begin delivering gas to China by 2027, adding that the increase in supplies to China is already underway. "We will soon reach the export capacity of 38 billion cubic meters per year,” Miller said.

In September, Glavgosekspertiza, Russia’s state expert commission, gave a positive assessment of the Far Eastern pipeline construction plans, marking a key step in the project’s development.